Update - Turkey Detains 9 British, One French Near Syrian Border

Turkey will soon deport nine British citizens who have been detained for trying to illegally cross into Syria, Turkish officials said late Wednesday.



The nine include four children and two female British citizens, the officials added.



Earlier, Turkish officials told The Anadolu Agency that nine British citizens and a French citizen were detained Wednesday in Turkey's southern provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep.



The nine British suspects were detained at the Hatay Ogulpinar Patrol border post, the Turkish Armed Forces said in an official statement online.



"Turkey has foiled an attempt of nine British citizens to enter Syria and detained them," the statement said.



In its reaction, the U.K. Foreign Office said: "We are in contact with the Turkish authorities and stand ready to provide consular assistance as required."



Separately, security officials also detained an Algerian-born French citizen in southeastern Turkey's Gaziantep province, the provincial governor's office said in a statement.



The office identified the French citizen as S.B, who too was arrested for allegedly trying to cross the border into Syria to join a militant group.



Turkey shares a 800-kilometers long border with Syria and Turkish officials have repeatedly said that they are cooperating with other countries to stop the flow of foreign fighters into its volatile neighboring countries.



Thousands of foreign fighters from all over the world are believed to have joined terrorist organizations, including Daesh in Syria and Iraq.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara